How can the Dod Adopt Commercial-Style Artificial Intelligence for Procurement?

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Defense has issued a policy directing agencies to adopt artificial-intelligence capabilities to increase the speed and agility of operations. Despite this, there are no current initiatives to adopt artificial intelligence technologies into the Defense Acquisition System. This thesis examines the potential impact of artificial intelligence on DoD procurement. It studies organizations that have incorporated the technology in business practices, and analyzes how well they improved speed and agility based on interviews with key personnel. While the interviewees were not always clear about what artificial intelligence is, the technology could be helpful for procurement in market research, negotiations, insight, and contract management, among other ways.